HighSchool DxD: Bad Black
by PoyntFury
Summary: An assassin and his sister take a job to uncover the culprit behind a string of disappearances in their city. Despite the job being successfully completed, they leave with a lot more than they expected. !OP OC Violence, Language, and Alcohol Abuse
1. Chapter 1 - A Quick Contract

**HighSchool DxD: Bad Black Chapter 1**

I laid there in my bed, silent as I watched the shadows dance in response to the early morning sunrise. The reflection of the light in the mirror across from me occasionally bounced into my eyes. "Fuck you... stupid sun. You're not making this fucking hangover any goddamn easier, you shit." I grumbled. I slumped over onto my left side, my eyes falling on the bottle of mixed berry rum my sister had brought me just a few nights before.

Instinctively, my hand reached out and wrapped around the bottle's neck. I shook it a few times and estimated that about a tenth of its original contents still remained. I uncorked it and downed the last of the dull, fruity liquid. As I tossed the empty jug back onto my nightstand, I sighed and pulled myself up. "Why the fuck can't I just die in my sleep? Urgh... my head... dammit... I need to lay off the booze." I threw myself onto my legs, trying not to fall over or make myself vomit.

I stumbled across the room to my sink, my small apartment offering no difficulty in traversing its floor. I ripped open an Alka Seltzer packet and dropped two tablets into a cup of water, watching with boredom as they fizzed enthusiastically in the liquid. "Fucking water." I groaned as I drank the bubbling liquids. The carbonation stark and scratchy against the back of my throat. **_RIIIIIINGG!_** I sprang up straight, hurling the now empty glass across the room, where it shattered against the wall.

"You... ffffffuucking SHIT!" I snarled as I grabbed my phone from the counter. "Why the fuck did I make you so goddamn loud?" I said, answering the call. "Greymoor." I said. [Ah, Mr. Greymoor... I was worried you wouldn't answer my call.] Said a male voice from the other side. "Yeah? Well who the fuck are you? I don't like when random fuckers call my phone, so if you've got something to say, spit it out." I said.

Silence, then I heard a cough. [Well... I have a contract for you, and I was hoping you'd come meet me to discuss the terms.] The man said. "Well, me meeting with you is gonna depend on the price... what are you offering?" I asked. [Five million... U.S. of course.] He said. The numbers took a moment to click, then I laughed. "Listen pal, I don't do political assassinations, so you're gonna need to look elsewhere." I said. [No... this isn't political... I was told you were the man to go to when one needs... a supernatural cleansing.] He said.

His words triggered a rather giddy feeling in my chest. "Ah! You meant **that** kind of contract... well... where are you?" I asked. [There's a church... well... the only church... near your home, please meet me there at your earliest convenience.] He said. "Yeah... I'll be there in a bit." I said. I ended the call and began rifling through my closet. "Hmm... its probably gonna be some Devils... so... I need something that's warded." I pulled out a black leather jacket, gave it a sniff, and confirmed that it did indeed have one of my sister's wards placed on it.

I threw it on over my white undershirt, then zipped it up. "Fuck... did my torso get longer? This thing feels a bit tight." I mused. "Oh well... better give her a call." I said. I dialed her number, and her familiar annoying dial tone rang from the speaker. [Hey. What ya calling for, Big Bro?] She sang. "I got a job... I'll need you in a few hours." I said. [You got it... I'll meet you at my place when you're done getting details.] She said.

We ended the call, and I pulled on a pair of black jeans. My thoughts drifted to my sister, Myan. We weren't actually family, but we had been around each other for more than a decade, and had become family by association, more than anything. _I've always wondered why she stayed around... she's got her own life... but I'm still glad she's here._ I took a look around my barren apartment, the only real furniture my bed and desk. "I could afford a better place... but I really don't care. I like the small room." I said to myself as I grabbed my comb and ran it through my hair.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It took me a bit less than thirty minutes to make my way to the church. The streets were uncrowded, at least I assumed so. It wasn't as though I made it a habit to see how active others were... but the silence was eerie, to say the least. The church doors were ajar, and I felt no need to knock, so I simply pushed them open and went in. The chapel was just as barren as the street, empty save for an older man sitting on a pew in the corned. Dressed in a priest's robes, I quickly deduced that he was the one who had called me.

"So... I need the details on the job." I called to him. He turned around slowly, his withered face pale and tired. "Ah... there you are... I... assume you noticed the distinct lack of people on the streets, correct?" He asked. "Yeah... and it gave me a pretty bad feeling... which means either you have a ward up... or people are afraid to be outside." I stated. His hand moved into his vest and he pulled out a small photo, handing it to me. It was a family, more specifically, a father, mother, and daughter.

"And? Why them?" I asked. "They moved in about a year ago... they're Devils... but we left them alone, as they seemed harmless... but about four months ago... people started disappearing, just a few at first. Then, more... the police have been looking into it heavily... but they've found nothing. The location of the disappearances was once condensed to the neighborhood. Now however... it seems the whole city is under threat. I must say... I'm surprised you haven't noticed." He said.

"Actually... I was in Venezuela for about six months, I got back two days ago." I explained. "Ah... that would make it a bit more understandable. Anyway... we'd like for you to... see what you can do to remedy the situation... we aren't certain that the Devil family is responsible... but you understand our apprehension about approaching them, I'm sure." He said. "Of course... now..." I grabbed a pen from my pocket, then took the photo from him.

I wrote down the pertinent information on the back of the photo. "Before I get started, I need you to send thirty percent of the reward beforehand, so I know it's serious. If the job is completed and the other seventy isn't sent, you **will** regret it." I said. He nodded, pulling out his phone and spending a few minutes entering the info into his banking system. My own phone buzzed, and it confirmed that 1.5 million dollars had been transferred over to me. "Alright... dead or alive?" I asked.

He seemingly pondered the option, then decided. "Alive is preferred, but if they have to die, they have to die." He said. "Understood... what confirmation do you want that it's done?" I asked. "Pictures... and if they aren't responsible, record them claiming their innocence." He said. "Alright... that can be done." I told him. He offered his hand, and I shook it, then made my way out of the church.

I dialed Myan's number, holding my phone out while I made my way to her side of the town. She answered and I activated the speaker. "I'm sending you your cut from the job, I'll be over in a bit so we can talk about the details and the approach." I said. [Good shit... how much am I getting?] She asked. "You're getting 1.5 million, I'm getting 3.5." I said. [Alrighty then... this must be unnatural, right? I guess you're gonna need my wards.] She noted. "Yep... I'm gonna be there in a bit, so get ready." I told her.

I sent the money to her account, then slowly walked down the empty streets. Her house was already visible from my position. It wasn't surprising, in contrast to me having a simple two room apartment, she decided to purchase an enormous mansion in the middle of rural southern Virginia, thus, it was almost visible in any part of the small city we resided in. It took me about fifteen minutes to reach her gate, and the guard waved me in, having seen me plenty of times before.

I opened the door with the key I had been given by the guard, and there she was, as always, in the foyer on her laptop. "Hey bro, so... tell me about the job." She said. She closed the lid on her laptop, then set it down gently on the step of a nearby staircase. "Simple... people have been disappearing, so I've been asked to see if a local Devil family are the culprits." I explained. "Devils, huh? If they've been kidnapping people to fuel some sort of slave trade... hmm... maybe..." She trailed off, then looked up to me.

"Why do **you** think they do it?" She asked. "Uhh... well... they do gain power by getting people to sign contracts, right? Maybe they're doing that? If they're forcing people to sign free contracts, it may explain the kidnapping." I said. She snapped her fingers at me. "Bingo, Bro. They want power... maybe... they hunkered down here to hide from an enemy, and they're using people from around the city to gain strength." She said.

"Well... they'd have a motive, they definitely have a means... but... what are they doing with the people... why not have them sign a contract, then erase their memories so that they completely forget?" I asked. "Well... that is a very good point... I... suppose that we'll find out later... do you want to wait until tonight?" She asked. "Yeah... I didn't eat breakfast... so let's get some food." I said. She nodded. "That's a great idea... I'm fucking starving." She said.

After partaking in a what for me was a rather late breakfast, we sat and spoke about my contract in Venezuela: Clearing out a village infested with demons. "So... how many were there?" She asked. "Well... that's a difficult question to answer... I used a exorcist ward as soon as I saw ten of them... they were some mean motherfuckers. So I wasn't really interested in finding out how many there were." I laughed. "I guess I see your point... but come on... six months? That's pathetic." She said.

"Hey... I had to fucking walk there, you stupid brat... all the way from Caracas to the bottom border with the State of Roraima. Four hundred FUCKING miles." I said, flicking my middle finger against her forehead. "Alright, alright, I get it." She laughed, looking out the window. "Jeez it's getting dark already." She said. "Yeah... it is winter about now, I guess... still just a bit warm though." I noted. "Sure is... I'll grab my markers, and we can get going." She said.

She gathered her ward markers, and we began traversing the now dark city streets. I realized as we walked that, if there had been any pedestrian traffic on the streets, her and I would be the shadiest characters around. Her, with her blonde hair with black streaks, and dark eye shadow, and me, standing just above six foot, with black hair. I smiled to myself as we made our way to the smaller neighborhood.

Eventually, we reached the address that had been provided to me. Immediately, a smell flooded into my lungs. "Hey... you smell that?" I asked. She gave the air a sniff. "Yeah... a basement... the earth is rather fresh... maybe a few months old." She said. "Bingo... that must be where they're keeping them." I stated. "Probably... alright... what wards do you want?" She asked, pulling out her small marking sticks and setting them up in front of the home.

"Ward three... then when I get inside... ward two." I said. "You got it... see you when you're done, dear." She laughed. I stepped onto the lawn of the home, and I felt her ward wash over me, accompanied by a black shadow washing over me. "Hmm... this should make it way easier to get in." I smiled. I eased myself into the ground, the earth beneath me offering no resistance to my movement. As I submerged fully, I pushed myself forward and soon was pressed against the stone wall of the basement.

I slowly slid myself through the wall, and upon my head breaking the surface, was hit with the stench of rotting flesh. I felt the food that had settled recently stir angrily. "Oh... fucking shit... yeah... these have to be the kidnapped. But..." I scanned the dark basement, which was filled wall to wall with corpses. I pulled out my phone, and sent a message to Myan. [Ward Two] Moments later, my eyes brightened, and the room lit up.

"Yeah... these are the victims... but... they seem... off... like they've been drained of blood. But that wouldn't make sense... not if they were vampires... if that were the case... then they'd just drain them a bit then let them go." I pondered the possibilities while I looked for a way out. I found a small staircase leading upwards, and I followed it. Opening the door, I peeked my head around the corner. "This place seems empty... the only ones here are the family... looks like they have to die... they **did** do it after all."

I began stalking through the desolate house, peeking my head around corners. My movement was slow, but soon I was upstairs and in the room of the adults. They were peaceful in their bed, and were seemingly unaware of my intrusion. "I'll have to praise my sis when we're done." I said. I pulled the small blade I had prepared from my jacket and hovered it over the woman. "Cut through... without movement." I ordered. An instant later, an enormous gash slashed into her neck, and blood began spurting violently from the wound.

Despite this, she was silent as she passed, and I quickly moved over to the man, finishing him in a similar manner. I turned away from them, their now blood-soaked bodies lifeless and soon to be cold. Sighing, I ran the blade along the bed sheets cleaning off the blood. "Well... that takes care of them... I can feel the daughter nearby." I began.

As if on cue, I felt a blade slide against my neck, not cutting, but as a warning. I immediately reconnected with the third ward and moved through the blade. I spun around, attempting to get a look at my assailant. It was the daughter, a lopsided, silly grin plastered on her face. She giggled as she spoke. "You killed them... right?" She asked. I nodded slowly, my eyes firmly locked on the knife. She sighed, and it looked as though she had been acquitted of a death sentence. "Thank you so much... they've been force feeding me blood for months, hoping to make me stronger." She moaned.

"Well... it's over now... I guess, so I'll be going." I said, making my way to the bedroom door. "Wait... I'm going with you, I don't want to be here when their friends come calling." She said. I looked to her, then to the bodies of her now dead parents. I sighed. "Fine... let's go then." I said. We rushed out of the home to Myan, who gave me an odd look once she saw the girl. "Who's this?" She asked. "I'm Ella, you guys killed my parents." She said. Myan gave me a look but I dismissed it. "Let's keep at that until tomorrow. The job's done." I said.

" _Besides, we'll either be getting paid, or we'll be going hunting._


	2. Chapter 2 - From Whence They Came

**HighSchool DxD: Bad Black Chapter 2**

I felt the cool air from an A/C vent blast against my neck, and I found no other pertinent solution other than to gripe as loudly about it as I could. "Why the FUUUCK is it so GODDAMN cold?!" I shouted into the darkness. "Because FUCK you! That's why!" Myan's reply came. I grumbled a few expletives in return, then pushed myself off of the couch and into the floor. I landed on top of someone, and soon realized it was Ella, who had decided to fall asleep next to me rather than in one of my sister's empty beds.

She shifted, turning herself over and throwing her arm over me. I struggled for a minute, then managed to move her off of me. I sighed, standing up and stretching my arms in front of me. She shook herself awake, turning her head to me. "Morning... umm... Drake." She said. "Morning, you seem... surprisingly comfortable." I noted. "Yep... I slept great!" She said. "Well... that's good, when you're finished with your morning routine, we need to have a talk." I said.

She nodded, and I helped her to her feet. She was only slightly shorter than me, which came as a surprise. I stood at just over six foot, and she seemed to be six foot on the dot. She had long, silky, dark green hair that ended in small curls. Her face was soft, and her baby blue eyes shone brightly under the rising sun. "You... Devils... sure are good at breeding." I said. The comment caught her completely off guard, and brought a deep red blush to her face.

She quickly vacated the room, attempting to find the kitchen. Upon finding herself lost, I pointed to the hallway and she bowed as she dashed into it. "Hey! I'm going out in a little bit, when I get back we need to have a talk, so be available!" I shouted to her. "Got it, see you when you get back!" She called back to me. I grabbed my jacket and threw it on, feeling no reason to shower or dress any better since I was just going to collect my pay.

I stepped outside onto the sidewalk, confirming that we were undeniably at the start of a freezing winter. I shivered despite the warm fur encasing my arms and chest, and began the short walk to the church. _Please be there old man... I don't have any desire to go chasing my pay today._ My fears were immediately allayed, as he was standing on the steps leading to the doors. He waved me over, a satisfied smile engraved on his wrinkled face.

"The police notified me this morning, after I called in a murder at the address." He said breathlessly. "However... they only found the parents, so what happened to the girl?" He asked. I smiled, then tilted my head in the direction of Myan's house. "She was being used by the parents as a power siphon, they wanted to make her stronger and then drain her themselves." I explained. "So we decided to let her stay with us." I said.

He nodded, then pulled his phone from his pocket. "I'll transfer the rest of the agreed upon sum immediately, thank you so much for your assistance with this matter, I can see why they call you... Bad Black. It didn't fit until I met you, but I guess the name makes sense." He finished. "Ah, whatever... say... how'd you get those kinda funds anyway? I know you fucks make a bunch from tithes, but five million is a bit excessive." I asked.

He smiled. "This may be a smaller city, but it has its share of large businesses, who were more than happy to pay for a solution to their decrease in profits. People weren't even leaving their homes, let alone spending frivolously. They wanted to rectify that." He said. "Anyway, the official media report will say that you were a concerned citizen who followed a blood trail into the home, and upon entering, discovered the deceased parents in an apparent suicide, as well as the victims." He explained.

"And? What about Ella? The daughter?" I asked. "Supposedly, since they were unable to locate her, they intend on saying that she has already been sent to live with some relatives overseas, and that she was uninvolved." He elaborated. I nodded. _That'll work just fine for me, and I'm sure it'll be good news for her that she's not suspected of her parents' crimes._ "Alright, if you ever have need of me again, I'm sure we can come to a similar agreement." I said. "Oh... and do me a favor, if any more Devils arrive unannounced, give me a call." I asked. We shook hands and I departed, after checking to ensure the money had been sent, of course.

I walked down the street, the early morning sun having completely broken the horizon, and was now a few inches above it, from my perspective. As I shielded my face from the bright sun, I smacked straight into someone, knocking them to the ground. "Oh... my bad. You alright?" I asked, uncovering my eyes to see my victim. "Ow... dammit." Ella complained as I offered her my hand. "Why are you here?" I asked. She grinned and threw her arms around me. "So what kind of demon are you?" She asked excitedly.

"Uh... Demon? I'm not actually-" I began. "No way you aren't a demon! You melded with the ground to get into my house... that's awesome, and none of the other kinds of supernatural beings can't do that!" She said. Her eyes were filled with wonder as she looked me up and down, trying to understand my abilities. "Alright!" I groaned. "Let's go back to Myan's house... she can tell you more about me." I said. True to my word, I brought her back to the manor, and she took a seat on a couch in the foyer while I woke Myan up.

"Hey, fuckhead, the girl needs someone to explain about me to her, and you know I'm no good at that. So get to it." I shouted into her room. I heard her rush to the door, her blonde hair flying by me wildly as she rushed down the staircase. She had always enjoyed talking about me for some reason. _At least she does a good job._ I headed down the stairs, positioning myself at the corner of the kitchen where I could hear what she was saying.

"So you want to know about him, huh? Alright, let's start from the beginning then." She giggled. "Drake was born in Costa Rica twenty-two years ago to an Air Force mother and Marine Corps father. Well... I say born... but he was a stillbirth, no heartbeat, no breath, no brain function, completely dead. His parents were devastated, at least they probably would have been, except Drake wasn't dead, he wasn't even Human, for all we know. Supposedly, a pitch black, solid mass erupted from him, and it devoured the both of them before they could even react, the same with the doctors and nurses in the room." She said, taking a breath.

"My parents and his parents were good friends, and I was born on the same day, in the same hospital, so they took him in when the authorities couldn't determine what had happened. But... Drake's appetite wasn't something that we could control, and... eventually he devoured us too." She said. "Wait... but... you're here..." Ella's protest rang. "That's very true... because I'm special... for some reason, after I died, I stole the body of a child near me, and took it for myself. I... was too young to understand... but... it's what happened." She said.

Nothing incorrect so far, so I let her continue. "The military, after "determining" that both our parents were KIA, sent us to a civilian orphanage... I think we were three at the time. Drake had a much better handle on the black mass at that point, but... he kept eating people, only... he'd actually eat them. You know... with his mouth." She smiled. "Really? He eats people?" She asked. "Well... he did at first... but he hasn't in quite a while... so we're not sure why he did it before." She said, starting to trail off in thought.

"Anyway... we grew up together in that orphanage... not allowed to go to school because we were thought to be dangerous... until high school at least, where we started going to school here, in Virginia." She told her. "By that point the military was no longer willing to support us financially. But... we happened upon a pair... in high school, who talked in hushed whispers about contracts and assassinations. They talked about how much money they made, so Drake devoured the guy, and I took the girl's body." She kept on.

"You see, when I take over a body... I take everything. Memories, knowledge, experience and skills. It all stays... same with Drake when he eats someone." She explained. I heard Ella let out a noise of understanding, then Myan continued. "Well, after that, we started taking contracts of our own, of course at the time we were both only fourteen, so sometimes the clients were rightfully concerned with our ability to perform... however once Drake... convinced them... they were more than happy to hire us." She said.

"Things were fine for the first year... and we had racked up an enormous amount of money, so we took a break, and..." I didn't want to hear the rest... but it wasn't like I didn't already know the whole story. "Drake fell in love with a girl... well... no... Drake and a girl... fell in love with each other, and they started dating... they were so happy... but Drake... didn't tell her what he was... it didn't matter really, they kept on loving each other." She began.

"Eventually... we graduated, and the girl decided to go off to college. So Drake and I resumed our old ways, taking contracts and hit jobs... but soon we were given a job to rid an area of a demon infestation, something only Drake can fully do between the two of us. So he went on the job like it was any other. But... it turns out, the job was in the same town as her college... and she happened to see him... while he was taking care of things. It scared her so much... seeing him like that... that she stopped talking to him." She explained.

 _And here it comes._ "What happened after that?" Ella asked. "She killed herself, she saw him devouring a demon... that's not something someone sees every day. She called him a freak, then blew her own brains out. Ever since then... Drake's been taking jobs nonstop, day after day... he just recently returned from a job that lasted six months... It's pretty hard to live not having him around, but I've managed." She said.

The phone in my jacket pocket buzzed softly, and I fumbled slightly trying to get it out. "Hello?" I answered. [I don't know how you knew they were coming, but they're here.] The pastor said. "I appreciate you telling me." I said, ending the call. "ELLA! Come here, we need to have a talk." I shouted. She came running into the kitchen, and I pointed to the stool. "I didn't want to bother you with this... but something's come up." I said.

 _She isn't gonna like what I have to say... but it needs to be said._


	3. Chapter 3 - A Quick Snack

**HighSchool DxD: Bad Black**

Ella sat down on the kitchen stool in front of me. "What is it?" She asked warily. "Let's talk about the story you gave me after I murdered your parents. That they had forced you to drain humans so you could become stronger and they could drain **you**." I smiled. "That... is bullshit. I'll tell you why." I said. The color in her face quickly whitened. "Is... is that so, well then... let's hear it." She said. Her confidence was fabricated, and her hands were shaking.

"You see... I'm a pretty unique human, as you already know, and I can see magic when it's active. Before I even made it to your house, I realized that you had put a guarding ward up... likely so I could enter the neighborhood with my sister, and any possible passersby would completely avoid it for reasons they can't explain." I said. Her eyes were screaming, trying to beg me not to continue, but I wanted to know for sure.

"You see... what I think happened... is you took control of your parents' minds, and had them kidnap humans with the intention of draining them, which went well for a while. Then when you got wind of my sister and I, you quickly developed a devious plan to ensure that you were never even suspected of the crimes." I said. "You realized why we were there, then decided that once I got into the house and finished off your parents, you were going to play the part of damsel in distress, and trick me into personally clearing you of suspicion." I said.

Her head dropped, and she laughed. "Yeah... you got me... so how did you know?" She asked. "Actually... what tipped me off was the way your parents died. When I slit your mother's throat, she was still, which is unusual... actually it's downright... impossible. See the body has a reaction to severe injuries... especially life threatening ones... and **neither**... of your parents had any kind of reactions like that." I said.

She nodded, her hands clasped together. "Hmm... okay... it's true... I'm the perpetrator. So... I'm gonna get up... I'm gonna walk out... and I'm gonna disappear, and you'll never have to see me again... so... please don't kill me." She said. "Well... I don't have any plans to kill you... but going outside right now... isn't advised... you see... your parents friends are here... and I doubt they're too happy." I explained.

Her eyes were screaming once again. "Shit... I thought I could escape from this place before they got out here... they're way too early." She mumbled to herself, then looked at me. I sighed. "Alright... I'll get rid of them... but in return..." I started.

 **KNOCK. KNOCK.**

"Oh... that must be them..." I said, getting up to go to the door. Her hand shot out and wrapped around my arm. It was clear that she was terrified. _Alright... I can use that fear._ "What do you want in return?" She begged. I grinned. _This will be a good test._ "Well... just so we don't have any misconceptions... I'm not the good guy." I said. She nodded vigorously. "Then... you're going to be my sex slave." I said with a grin.

Her face twisted in fear, eyes locked on mine, attempting to see if I were serious. She sucked in a breath, then nodded. "I'll do it." She said. I laughed, leaned down and kissed her cheek, then turned away. "I wasn't serious... your body is your body... I won't take it from you against your will." I chuckled. "Well... I'll be back in a bit... I think there are two of them... but who knows?" I said happily. She fell to her knees, and Myan put her hand on her shoulder. "My brother is pretty mean, but he wouldn't take that kind of choice from anyone." She noted.

"Put a ward around the house." I commanded. She did, and I opened the front door. Two men, both clad in strange cloaks were standing a few meters back. "Excuse us... we were informed that our close friends passed away recently, and we were asked by the surviving family to retrieve their daughter, Ella. We've also been informed that you've graciously invited her into your home for the time being, so could you have her come with us?" One of them asked.

I could smell it on them... death... blood... anger. It was a vivid stench that made my stomach growl. "Myan... when did I last eat?" I asked. She looked up from the kitchen. "Well... I suppose... it would have to have been almost seven months... since I doubt that you ate in Venezuela." She said. "Mm... true... so... you two... if you had to choose... which one of you is stronger?" I asked. The two men perked their heads up, revealing their rather plain faces.

The one on the left pointed to himself, and the one on the right pointed to him as well. "No doubt... him." He said. "Myan, ward that one." I said. An instant later, the one they had decided upon jerked upright, unable to move or speak. It didn't take long for the other to realize that he was in trouble, and moments later, his mad dash had him down the street several dozen meters. "Jeez... you're really gonna run? Fuckhead... I don't feel like chasing you down." I grumbled as I dropped my right hand to my side.

"When this is over... collect the pieces." I commanded Myan. "Got it... I can't wait to see this." She giggled. "What is he doing?" Ella asked. "It's his Sacred Gear, of course." Myan laughed. I took a few steadying breaths, then pulled upwards like a revolver from a holster. True to my Sacred Gear, the revolver formed in my hand, the huge grip and cylinder forming first, then the near foot and a half long barrel.

I pulled the hammer back slowly, then let it settle. "One Shot... One Kill... The Ripper." I said aloud as I squeezed the trigger, shooting an enormous black shell. The black shell soared silently through the air, then split into small blades. As they slammed into my target's arms and legs, slicing them off at the bone, I turned to the immobilized man and grabbed him by the arms. "Here Ella, drink from him." I said. "Huh?" Her confusion came as a shock to me. "You want to get stronger right? Then FUCKING drink!" I shouted.

Myan had already used a ward to bring the dismembered man and his limbs to our doorstep. I grabbed an arm and began tearing the torn flesh from the end, gnashing my teeth as I chewed. _Ughhh... it's been too long since I've last eaten. Mmmm... it's soooo good... I've... really missed this._ In the blink of an eye, I had completely devoured the man, and had begun wiping my hands on the ground. Myan was watching Ella, who had fully drained the other man of all of his blood.

She stood to her feet, wiping the blood from her mouth. Looking to me, she smiled and tilted her head. "Thanks for that... I hadn't eaten in a while." She looked to the few bones that I hadn't consumed. "Looks like you hadn't either." She giggled. I nodded. "Unlike you vampires... the Wendigo can go years without eating... I just don't like to." I explained. "So... you're a Wendigo? I thought they died out just before the Great War." She noted.

"Yeah... they did... and they are... I guess. I don't really know why I am what I am." I said. Ella was about to ask another question, but Myan butted in to bring up an important point. "What are you going to do now, Ella? You know that Drake isn't going to force you to stay here with us, if you don't want to, I mean." She said. Ella seemed to ponder the question intently. Then shrugged. "I... don't have anywhere to go." She said. "Oh?" Myan pondered.

Her eyes drifted between Ella and I. "Hmm... well... I'll give you three months in this house, then you gotta get the fuck out!" She squealed with laughter. It didn't take me long to see what she was trying to pull. "Sis?" I asked. She nodded. "I think it's a good idea... and I really don't care what **you** think... fucker." She growled happily at me. I sighed, then turned to Ella. "If you'd like, you can stay with me once the three months is over, I don't mind." I said.

Ella smiled, then nodded. "I'd... like that." She giggled. I sighed. _It's not like my apartment is suitable for more than one person. But I suppose I'll have to make it work... I can't afford to do the upkeep on a house any bigger than that... even with_ _ **her**_ _around, it would be difficult to find something in the area that's only a little larger square footage wise._ I sighed again, even louder.

"You do realize I only have the one bed, right?" I asked. "Yep... and I know that you can't fit another bed in there. Which means that you two." She began, twirling her fingers and pointing at us for dramatic effect. "That means that you two... will have to sleep in the same bed." She said with a high pitched squeal at the end.

Ella turned to me. _"Sleeping in the same bed...huh?"_


	4. Chapter 4 - Bond of Blood

**Bad Black: Chapter 4**

"What? You should be happy... getting to shack up with a cute girl like her!" Myan giggled feverishly. "Look... I'm not going to sit here and tell you that Ella isn't attractive, but she's... well... an unknown in most respects." I explained. "Wasn't Aryn an "unknown" too, though?" She asked. "That's... yes... but she was a human... meaning it was easy to pin her down when needed." I said.

"Well I do see what you mean... but even still, you're 19... you shouldn't be so serious about everything... we have millions saved away, at least **you** do... so you can afford to take it easy for a bit." She said. "Yeah... I hear you... but... I just... fell jittery and... kind of uneasy when I'm not working." I said. "Ugh... you're so frustrating! I mean... LOOK at you, you could flash a smile in a bar and get literally EVERY girl's number. The scariest part about that, is that you don't!"

I sighed. _This is going to get us nowhere._ She murmured something, then turned red. "You don't have to answer... if you don't want to... are you even planning on dating at all in the future?" She asked. I shrugged. "Do you even consider me an option?" She asked. "I... maybe... I haven't thought about dating at all since... I'm sure you get the picture, but no... I don't think about things like that." I said.

"Hmm... well... I... I don't even remember... what were we just talking about?" She asked. "Oh... nothing of importance, my sweet sister." I said. "Oh... well... I feel kind of tired... I'm going upstairs to go to bed." She said. I waved to her, and she made her way up the stairs of the foyer. "I... cannot... believe what I have seen!" Ella's voice rang through the wooden floors and marble walls.

I turned to her, and was met with the biggest grin I had ever seen the girl wear. "You... can manipulate thoughts?" She asked. "Not at all... I have a very unique ability to force someone to forget a very recent memory." I explained. "Oh? How does it work?" She asked. I raised my hand, putting up four fingers.

"The ancient being that I consider my other half, is called a Wendigo. An creature that feeds on human flesh to survive. These creatures were once numerous, and permeated the upper echelons of human society. The supernatural triad found them to be too dangerous to allow to exist in peace, due to their nature of devouring people." I started.

Her eyes were locked on to me, fully engrossed in my explanation. "Their power lies in four schools of magic, that use life essence as opposed to physical energy." I said. I lowered my fingers as I listed the schools. "Mithrax, School of the Mind, used to manipulate human thoughts and emotions. Tethrax, the School of the Sanguine, used to manipulate our blood into armor that saves us from even the deadliest of blows." I said.

"So... you're blood is used to keep yourself safe... how do you attack?" She asked. "I was getting to that." I stated. "Next... we have Daethrax, School of the Body, we can change the forms of our limbs to create powerful weapons." I said. "Finally... we have Ivora... the School of School of Life, used to create machinations that do our bidding from the soil, the trees... and other elements." I finished.

A thought crossed my mind, and I decided to pursue it. "There is... a fifth School... one that I don't use... called Caerax... it involves the forceful subjugation of others to use their life essence to fuel... a more... sinister power." I explained. "I see... why don't you use it?" She asked. "It is designed to use the blood of supernatural beings, however... it steals the blood from the body, rather than using the power it creates." I said.

She smiled. "I'm sure you've taken... interest in me as a conduit for your Caerax power, it's likely one of the reasons you keep me around." She giggled. I nodded, happy that she had led the conversation in that direction, rather than me having to. "Well... I have considered you... but I would not ask for you to undertake such a painful role without offering something of equal value." I said. "Hmmm... what could you possibly have to bargain with... sure you're wealthy... but that's not really much, is it?" She asked.

I pressed the tip of my finger to her lips, an action that startled her. A deep blush bloomed on her cheeks. "Not here my sweet, my sister wanted me to fuck you... not do this." I said. "Come... we'll talk more about this... deal at my apartment. On the way, I'll tell you a bit more about the Wendigo." I promised. She nodded, and we left, locking the manor door behind us.

The first few moments of our long walk was quiet, but I broke the silence quickly. "Wendigo are born into this world by latching onto the souls of children while they're in the womb. When the child is born, it devours its parents and anyone else, then, when they're finished, they remove themselves from the infant, then devour it to gain their human form... as you can likely tell... the last part didn't happen..." I said with a soft chuckle.

"Why?" She asked. "She didn't explain any further than that she wanted to see what I would become in the future." I said. "She?" Ella's face was one of confusion. "Ah... the Wendigo... before they take a human body... don't have genders, they simply assign themselves the gender of their host, but when I asked her about her gender... she stated that she felt akin to human females."

With my explanation of the creature, her concerns were exchanged for wonder, as she began asking numerous questions about their history and culture, of which I knew the answer to a small few. "So... what is she like? Is she nice... mean... quiet?" She asked. "She's... not much of anything... the Wendigo are androgynous creatures without personalities... they aren't mean, just... they don't have the same emotions that we do... you'll see what I mean in a bit."

It took us a bit longer to get to my apartment. With the door unlocked, we walked inside, her eyes scanning the room. "Your home is small... and surprisingly clean." She noted, almost with surprise. "I prefer the place I live to be small... not really any greater reason behind it other than the upkeep." I said. "I see... why exactly did you need me to come here to strike this deal with me?" She asked.

I lifted my bed curtain, sliding my hand into the small space, feeling around, and pulling back once I had a grip on the box I was searching for. I laid it down softly on my bed. It was a small box, covered in a red velvet, and could have been mistaken for a box meant for a medium size pendant. I pulled up on the box's clasp.

Her eyes widened as they fell on the short, folded blade. "What... is that?" She asked, obviously referring to the odd shape and aura to the blade. It was a bronze karambit, but thinner than an average knife used for conventional means. I lifted it slowly out of the box, then unfolded it. "This... is a draw knife, forged solely to spill my own blood." I lifted the knife to my right wrist. A slight feeling of dread washed over me. _She may not take this well._ "Bad... Black: Tethrax."

I winced as the knife slashed through my skin, tearing the vein and forcing my hand into a violent spasm. I felt the blood boil on my skin as it crawled its way up my arm and over the rest of my flesh, snaking its way through my clothing and over my eyes and nostrils. I let out a breath as it finished.

Her face was a mix of wonder and concern as she looked at me. "Do you see her?" I asked. "I see... it? Maybe... black wisp, red aura?" She asked in return. I nodded. "She wished to speak, will you hear her?" I asked. She nodded to me. I tapped her on her head, and her eyes grew dull. _"Hello girl... I am... Drake's power."_ The emotionless voice called out.

"Um... hi... I'm- _"I know who you are, girl, I am always watching Drake."_ The voice rang. "Oh... well... I suppose you wanted to speak with me?" Ella asked. _"Indeed... I am here to... inform you about the deal my host wishes to make with you... not because he has any ill intent towards you... simply because I want to make sure the parameters are abundantly clear."_

"Okay... run me through it then." She said. "I'll tell her... you can go over anything I may leave out." I said. The voice was silent, which I took as an affirmation, and began my explanation. "Long ago, the Wendigos were rulers over time. The Gods didn't take to kindly to the free-minded way that the Wendigos were ruling... and soon after they were discovered... a war broke out."

"It was quickly clear to the Gods, however... that they weren't going to win. The Wendigos could revive themselves with the abundant human forms available to them. So... I think it was the Greek gods... they developed a... device that could keep Wendigos from bonding with humans at birth. It couldn't keep them from using the bodies they already had... but you get the point, it put the Wendigos in a severely lower position."

"With little option, they turned to those who gained little to nothing from the Wendigos destruction, the Devils... they offered the Devils their immortality, in exchange for the use of their blood. This... brought forth the school of Wendigo magic known as Caerax..." I smiled. "Eventually, the Wendigo did lose, but the Devils alignment with them played a major role in causing the most recent Great Faction War." I said.

"I request... that you allow me the use of your blood... in return, I will keep you safe, as I have been doing since we met... in addition... I will allow you to drink my blood... to add to your own power." I said with a grin. The look on her face was one of shock.

" _What's wrong... surprised that I know what you are?"_


End file.
